Disease on new peach tree leaves

Hi Folks,
I'm a new subscriber to this place, and after looking over the web I figured this would be as good a place as any to get the information I'm going to be needing through out the year, (if not the very best) so I figured I would pay and support the website.
My first question involves a peach tree that my husband bought and brought home about a month ago. There is some kind of a disease on many of the leaves. Its BRIGHT deep red bubbles on perfectly green leaves that curls up the leaves. Not your typical leaf curl. My husband says he looked it up (don't know where) and was told that it is cedar disease but we don't have any cedars in the yard or anywhere near.

I took a picture of some of the leaves that I removed from the tree with this problem and I'll post it as soon as I can figure out how. Oh, my...that was easy...the picture is posted. Anyways...in this picture you can't see just how RED this disease is...it is really a very deep red.

My screen name doesn't have anything to do with gardening....I'm a quilter too.

And my biggest gardening problem is gophers...but thats for another forum. I should have called myself ElmerFudd.

Anyways...I look forward to chatting with ya all.

Stitchinfool

Stitchinfool,

You have peach leaf curl, a fungal disease. It overwinters on the branches and spreads to the leaves during the cool, wet, late winter months. The leaves will die and drop off. It will send out new leaves that are usually healthy in spring or early summer. Having to send out a new set of leaves weakens the tree so tips and small branches may die. If the tree gets peach leaf curl several years in a row, you may lose larger branches or the entire tree.

This year spring and summer concentrate on getting rid of any diseased leaves. Don't compost them. Fertilize the tree and keep it healthy. To get healthy leaves next year, spray three times: in November, December and again before the flower buds open. Use a fungicide that contains at least 50% copper or one recommended for peach leaf curl control.

The fungus is difficult to control if you get a very wet winter. If it rains right after you spray, you may not get complete control. I found that keeping the tree top dry helps limit the infection. I had several peach trees planted out in the yard and a dwarf in a large pot. The potted peach was protected from the rain by the overhanging eeves. It seldom had peach leaf curl. There are a few varieties that are more resistant to peach leaf curl. For the best varieties for your area, call your county extension agent.
BettyDee

Stichinfool... about the gophers... did you see "Caddyshack". It wasn't quite that bad, but I found a way to beat them. I discovered they don't like their tunnels opened. I would go out and find fresh mounds of dirt where they recently dug and open up the tunnel to put in some juicy fruit gum. We heard they would eat it and die from it. After several months without progress I got serious. Since I noticed sometimes they would close up the tunnel five minutes after I opened it, I opened a tunnel one morning and then grabbed the semi-auto .22 rifle and waited. A few minutes later and blam blam blam when it came to close the tunnel. We haven't seen any new tunnels in over a year now. Now if I could only figure out a system for the moles we would be in good shape... happy hunting... Tom

Thanks so much Betty Dee! I will pass along your information to my hubby as he is the one that takes care of the trees. I'm sure he'll be very grateful for the help.

And Tom...I don't own a gun but your talking me into buying one...LOL! Actually, I have been out there lately opening up all of the tunnels I can find...didn't know it might help.
I wrote in another forum here yesterday that they had wiped out my garlic crop but they were leaving my peas alone...well...I spoke too soon because as soon as I signed offline and went out side, I found that they had indeed wiped out my peas. But they only got a few of them, as I learned long ago to plant in different areas of the garden, if they get one batch, at least I still have another...until they find that one, of coarse. I've declared war...gonna have some very unhappy gophers ot there. And hopefully, some dead ones.

Thanks again to both of you!
Janis

Just opening up the tunnels doesn't help in itself, thats just a way to lure them into sight so you can blast them!!! If you don't have anything to shoot them with, a sharp stick might do the trick.... make shish-k-bobs out of them!!! The way I did it... I went out first thing in the morning and looked for a fresh mound of dirt they had dug up the night before. Its just a sign of where they may be active. I opened up the tunnel and even dug out some where I could get a clear shot when they came to close up the tunnel. I only waited about 5 minutes before they showed up. You could do the same thing with a sharp stick (spear). Just jab away when they show up in the hole. They already have the garlic in them... ready to just throw them on the grill eh??? heheheeee... I hope this helps some... good luck... Tom

Not sure where I read info... But said to throw handful of mothballs into the hole for groundhogs, which had last yr so pd attn. Thought was for gophers too. Do you think that would work? ~ Suzi :)

Mothballs convinced skunks to evacuate the premisis and also a rabbit to quit trying to nest in the middle of my "garlic" bed. (some sources says garlic repels bunnies - NOT!)

But thanks for asking this question Janis and for the info Betty. Extremely timely since I noticed my nectarines had this exact same thing recently. This is their 5th year and 3rd to bloom and they've been absolutely trouble free. I was so impressed that I ordered/planted 2 dwarf peaches last spring. Then this year the screwy 'red blisters' showed up. I figured it was probably more cosmetic than anything and wasn't going to worry too much.